Insect infestation reduction method

ABSTRACT

A method of preventing infestation of a bed by creeping insects; said method including the application of a barrier to the legs of said bed; said barrier comprising a disc or layer of material inimical to at least a selection of said creeping insects; said disc or layer interposed between an upper end of each bed leg and the underside surface of a bed base of said bed.

The present invention relates to pest control and, more particularly, to bed bug and other creeping insect infestation minimisation technology.

BACKGROUND

One example of an insect likely to infest is the common bed bug, (Cimex lectulariue), a small insect, adults growing to 4-5 mm, found throughout the temperate world. It feeds on blood and is well adapted to cohabitation with humans, particularly preferring to infest bedding.

Infestation is a particular problem in those facilities catering to revolving clientele, such as hotels, guest houses, backpacker hostels and other forms of guest accommodation, but can also become a serious problem in the home.

Infestation of a bed may occur in at least two ways. Firstly, bugs may be introduced into the bed from luggage, contaminated clothing or even from human carriers. Secondly, bugs may initially be present in carpets or rugs and thence find their way into the bed by crawling up the bed supporting structure.

Although infestation by bed bugs is perhaps the most common problem, it is clearly undesirable to have one's bed invaded by any creeping insects.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate the problem of insect infestation routes.

Notes

-   1. The term “comprising” (and grammatical variations thereof) is     used in this specification in the inclusive sense of “having” or     “including”, and not in the exclusive sense of “consisting only of”. -   2. The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the     invention, is not an admission that any information discussed     therein is citable prior art or part of the common general knowledge     of persons skilled in the art in any country.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a bed bug reduction method; said method including the step of providing support structures of a bed with a low friction surface; said surface having properties preventing a bed bug adhering to a substantially vertical said surfaces.

Preferably, said properties include a low coefficient of friction and resistance to van der Waal forces.

Preferably, said low coefficient of friction of said surfaces is a dynamic coefficient of friction less than 0.4 and more preferably less than 0.1.

Preferably, said surfaces are composed of polytetrafluoroethylene or similar compounds; such compounds commonly known as Teflon®.

Preferably, said support structures include supporting legs of a bed base.

Preferably, said support structures include supporting legs fitted with castors; said surfaces applied to said supporting legs above said castors.

Preferably, said support structures include a supporting perimeter base of a bed where said perimeter base is in contact with the floor.

Preferably, said support structures include at least lower portions of framing of bunk beds.

Preferably, said method includes the step of applying said surfaces as a liquid coating of said support structures.

Preferably, said method includes manufacturing at least a portion of said support structures from said low friction material.

Preferably, an underside of a said support structure is fitted with a foot element constructed of said material.

Preferably, said surface of low friction material extends vertically on said support structure for at least 10 mm.

Preferably, said surface of low friction material extends vertically on said support structure for between 10 and 15 mm.

Preferably, said surface of low friction material extends vertically on said support structure for between 10 and 25 mm.

In another broad form of the invention, there is provided a bed base support structure adapted to prevent ascent to upper areas of said bed; said bed base support structure including substantially vertical surfaces interposed between a supporting floor and said upper areas; said substantially vertical surfaces provided with a material having properties preventing a bed bug adhering to said substantially vertical surfaces.

Preferably, said properties of said material include low coefficient of friction.

Preferably, said properties of said material include resistance to van der Waal forces.

Preferably, said material is polytetrafluoroethylene or is of a similar compound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of typical support structure of a bed base,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the support structure of FIG. 1 to which a preferred arrangement of the bed bug reduction method of the invention has been applied,

FIG. 3 is a side view of a support structure with caster when fitted with a castor and provided with the arrangement of the bed bug reduction method of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of another typical support structure of a bed provided with the bed bug reduction method of the invention,

FIG. 5 is a side view of the framing of a bunk bed provided with the bed bug reduction method of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the method of installation according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the bed after installation according to the method illustrated in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an experimental installation showing a further embodiment under test conditions,

FIG. 9 shows tables summarizing results of the experiments of FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of a bed bug reduction method according to the invention installed between a bed head and adjacent wall,

FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment of a bed bug barrier installed between a bed head and adjacent wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Preferred Embodiment

The present invention seeks to reduce the incidence of bed bug and other creeping insect infestation of beds by substantially eliminating one route by which creeping insects can gain access to a bed, or other elevated structure from a supporting ground surface.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, bed bases 10 and other structures are frequently supported by four or more legs 12 resting directly on the floor 14 or the legs may be mounted on castors 16 as shown in FIG. 3. Typically, legs are manufactured of some suitable material such a wood, which although apparently smooth, provide ample purchase to bed bugs, which are excellent climbers, as are most other creeping insects. Nor do castors, typically formed of plastic or metal and plastic assemblies, provide any barrier to a bed bug or other creeping insect.

The present invention resides in the provision of a barrier located along the substantially vertical surfaces of supporting structures of bed bases and other elevated structures.

Fixed Preferred Embodiment

It has been found, that some materials with a sufficiently low coefficient of friction and resistance to van der Waal forces, when forming a substantially vertical surface, provide an effective barrier to climbing insects. Such materials include polytetrafluoroethylene or similar PTFE compounds such as that commonly known as Teflon® by the American chemical manufacturer Dupont. Depending on the particular grade and compound this material has a coefficient of friction of around 0.4.

In this first preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of creeping insect infestation reduction by the application of a low coefficient of friction material to the substantially vertical surfaces of the support structures of beds. Preferably, the dynamic coefficient of friction of the material is less than 0.4. The method described in this specification refers to the use of Teflon® but it will be understood that any material, with a coefficient of friction sufficiently low so as to deny purchase to a climbing creeping insects, is envisaged in the invention.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that at least a portion of the leg 12 has bean provided with an annular coating 18 of Teflon®, extending a sufficient distance up the leg to provide a barrier. The extent of the coating preferably at least 10 mm, but more preferably is not less than 25 mm.

A Teflon® coating may be applied as a liquid to the material from which a bed leg is made. Alternately it may be applied as a film of material, or in another arrangement, at least a portion of the leg could be manufactured from Teflon® itself, for example in the form of “feet” affixed at the lower end of the leg.

FIG. 4 shows another support structure for a bed base, in this case a perimeter frame 20 resting directly on the floor. In this situation, a band 22 of Teflon® material may be applied right around the frame to deny access to creeping insects.

FIG. 5 shows a portion of a bunk bed, the framing 24 of which typically is also in direct contact with the floor. In this instance the prevention method of the invention is similar to that applied to the leg shown in FIG. 2, that is by applying a band 28 of Teflon® to at least a portion of each of the vertical frame members 26 of the bunk bed. Alternatively, as described above, Teflon® “feet” could be fitted at the base of each of the vertical frame members.

Second Preferred Embodiment

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 there is illustrated a further methodology in accordance with a further preferred embodiments of the present invention. Like components are numbered as for the earlier embodiments.

In this instance, the methodology for interrupting the route by which creeping insects can gain access to a bed or other elevated structure by means of its supporting legs or substructure, is by way of interposing a barrier, in this instance, its the form of a gasket 20 or washer 21.

In the preferred methodology the gasket or washer is made from Teflon, or similar low coefficient of friction material, and is preferably interposed along the route as a barrier. The steps of installation of the barrier, for example in the case of a bed supported on legs, include unscrewing the leg 12, placing the gasket or washer 20, 21 on the upper surface 22 of leg 12 around a length of threaded rod 23 projecting from the leg, reinstalling the leg 21 by screwing threaded rod 23 into a threaded recess 24, thereby to arrive by at the arrangement shown in FIG. 7. By this arrangement the washer or gasket 20, 21 provides a barrier entirely across the route which a creeping insect might take from surface 14 via exterior of leg 12 to the mattress 25.

By this arrangement, broadly speaking, there is disclosed the use of a barrier treated with (or made entirely from) Teflon® or similar material interposed between the floor and bed for the purposes of preventing or at least minimising the possibility of creeping insects from climbing from the floor to the bed or bedding. The barrier may take the form of the washer/disc or gasket as described above or it may take any other form of barrier. In the preferred form the barrier is arranged, as much as possible, to appear as part of the leg assembly be that it is not visually displeasing.

Although a very low coefficient material clearly has maximum effect if applied to a vertical surface, for some insects at least, a material such as Teflon, may also provide a significant impediment to at least some creeping insects when applied to a sloping or even an horizontal surface.

Third Preferred Embodiment

It will also be readily understood that a low friction surface may provide an even greater impediment to a crawling insect if that surface has significant negative slope, with the maximum effect achieved if the surface is a substantially horizontal underside. Thus in one preferred form of the gasket or washer shown in FIG. 7, the washer extends beyond the section of the leg to which it is applied as shown in FIG. 7A, thus creating an exposed annular, substantially horizontal, underside surface 26 as well as a further substantially vertical surface.

In a particularly preferred arrangement shown in FIG. 8, the barrier fitted to a leg of a bed, may be comprised of a relatively thin disc or layer 20 of low friction material with a diameter, or in extent, significantly larger than the diameter or area of the upper end of leg 12. As previously described, the disc or layer 20 is provided with a central aperture of sufficient diameter to allow passage of the leg securing bolt, (as illustrated in FIG. 6), so that when the leg 12 is re-assembled to the bed, the disc or layer 20 is secured against the underside of the bed bases 28.

Experiments have shown that the arrangement shown in FIG. 8 is one hundred percent effective in preventing bed bugs from traversing the disc 20 and gaining access to a bed base 28. The experiments included a typical bed base platform 28 of pressed timber construction, to which were attached a first group of bed legs 12 in the normal manner (the controls), and a second group of bed legs provided with the discs as shown in FIG. 8. A heat source, similar in heat output to that of a human body, was placed on the platform.

Each of the groups of legs were variously provided with a source of bed bugs, including one source each of adult male and female bugs, and five of nymph bugs.

Table A of FIG. 9 shows the result of bed bug infestation in the absence of protective barriers over a period of one week. It is clear that virtually all the bugs reached the bed base within the first two days of the experiment. In stark contrast, as shown in Table B, not one of the bugs was able to traverse the low friction material disc barrier 20. As illustrated in FIG. 8, bed bugs in the second group ascended the bed leg 12, but were unable to make the transition from the relatively rough vertical surface of the leg onto the low friction horizontal surface 26 of the disc 20, which in the experiment were made of Teflon®.

It appears from the above described experiment that any extension of the barrier, in the form of a disc, beyond the periphery of the bed leg, significantly wider than the length of the insects to be repelled, will prevent infestation. Preferably the projection of the disc beyond the periphery of the leg should be at least three insect lengths and thus preferably at least 15 mm for bed bugs.

Although the experiment was conducted with round bed legs and appropriately shaped disc barriers, it will be understood that the principles of the barrier may be equally well implemented with squares of the barrier material as long as the projection of the material beyond the leg periphery is sufficient.

Further Embodiments

The arrangements described above have relied on the property of low coefficient of friction to provide a barrier to climbing insects, but other forms of barrier are envisaged by the present invention.

In one preferred arrangement the barrier may be formed by a surface coating which, although not necessarily having the property of low coefficient of friction, may be sufficiently unpleasant to the senses of insects as to dissuade them from traversing the barrier. Thus certain chemical compounds known to be inimical to insects or a particular group of insects to be guarded against, can be applied in similar manner to that described above, that is by a band of the compound applied around a supporting leg of a bed or the supporting substructure of an elevated structure. For example marine anti-fouling paint or like chemical composition may be suitable for some groups of insects. The suitable chemical compound may be impregnated into a porous material formed into a washer or gasket as described above and assembled to the upper portion of a bed leg. In this latter arrangement also, it is preferable if the washer or gasket extends significantly beyond the periphery of the upper end of the leg.

The formation of an insect barrier which relies on properties which promote aversion in an insect, need not of course be restricted to vertical surfaces. Thus a perimeter band of a chemically formulated material may be applied to a horizontal surface, or placed across a known route of insect infiltration.

Although the legs supporting a bed may be the most common route of infestation by bed bugs, it will be appreciated that alternative routes may be available if the bed base or bedding is in contact with a separate bed head or a wall. To cover this contingency, suitably prepared offset blocks 30 may provided between the bed head 32 and an adjacent wall 34 as shown in FIG. 10. These blocks are provided with similar bug impeding material, that is, for example by covering in Teflon® tape, or by impregnation or coating with a repellent chemical compound, as described for the bed leg and bed support structures above.

Preferably, blocks for covering with Teflon® or other low coefficient of friction tape, are triangular in section and affixed to the bed head so as to present a sharp edge, for example the apex of an isosceles triangle, uppermost and extending between the wall and the bed head. Thus only steeply sloping surfaces are presented between the wall and the bed head. More preferably, the offsetting blocks 30 could be provided with a ring or gasket 36 of low coefficient of friction material, with the ring or gasket 36 arranged to present a vertical surface extending radially outwards from the block.

In another preferred arrangement shown in FIG. 11, offset blocks 40 may be provided with a cup shaped barrier 42, formed of low coefficient of friction material, with outwardly extending rim 44, thus providing surface interfaces shown to be proof against traversing by bed bugs. In this arrangement, the cup shaped barrier may be secured between the offset block 40 and the surface of the bed head 32.

Offset blocks may be provided with a through aperture for accepting a securing screw 46 as shown in FIG. 10.

In each of the embodiments described above, the layer or disc of material, the offset blocks and low coefficient of friction tape, may conveniently be provided in packaged kit form suitable for retro-fitting to existing bed legs. Kits of discs with central apertures could be made available in a selection of shapes and sizes to suit, for example, typical square and circular section bed legs. The number of discs provided could vary for different bed configurations, for example ranging from perhaps four for a small single bed, to nine for a large double bed.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example alternative materials which may provide suitable properties include GoreTex and Kel-F. 

1. A method of preventing infestation of a bed by creeping insects, said method including the application of a barrier to the legs (12) of said bed, said barrier comprising a relatively thin disc or layer (20, 21) of material inimical to at least a selection of said creeping insects, a surface (26) of said relatively thin disc or layer of material having a dynamic coefficient of friction less than 0.4 and said disc or layer of material being interposed between an upper end (22) of each bed leg (12) and the underside surface of a bed base of said bed, characterised in that said disc or layer of material (20, 21) is sized so as to extend beyond the periphery of an upper end (22) of said bed leg (12), an extended portion of said disc or layer of material forms a substantially horizontal annular underside surface (26) between said periphery and said bed base and said coefficient of friction prevents a creeping insect traversing said substantially horizontal annular underside surface.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said properties of said surface (26) include a low coefficient of friction and resistance to van der Waal forces.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said disc or layer (20, 21) of material is composed of polytetrafluoroethylene or similar compounds; such compounds commonly known as Teflon®.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said disc or layer (20, 21) of material is provided with a central aperture; said aperture sized so as to allow passage therethrough of a securing bolt of said bed leg (12).
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said extended portion extends radially at least 15 mm from said periphery.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said disc or layer extends radially from said periphery by between 10 and 20 mm.
 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising interposing offset-blocks (30; 40) between a bed head (32) of said bed and an adjacent wall (34), said offset blocks including an insect impeding barrier (36; 42).
 8. A kit for providing protection against infestation of a bed by bed bugs and other climbing insects, said kit comprising packaging containing a plurality of discs or layers of a material having a dynamic coefficient of friction material less than 0.4; said discs or layers adapted for interposing between upper portions of bed legs and the underside of a bed base of said bed, characterised in that, in use, each said disc or layer of material (20, 21) is sized so as to extend beyond the periphery of an upper end (22) of said bed leg (12) and in that an extended portion of said disc or layer of material forms a substantially horizontal annular underside surface (26) between said periphery and said bed base.
 9. A bed proofed against infestation by bed bugs and other climbing insects, said bed provided with barriers that each comprise a relatively thin disc or layer (20, 21) of material preventing access to a mattress and bedding of said bed, each said disc or layer of material including surfaces of material having a dynamic coefficient of friction less than 0.4 and being interposed between an upper end of a respective leg (12) of said bed and the underside of the bed base and being sized so as to extend beyond the periphery of an upper end (22) of the bed leg (12) so as to provide a substantially horizontal annular underside surface (26) between said periphery and said bed legs (12). 